Joburg Mayor defends clean-up campaign ahead of G20 summit

City of Joburg Mayor Dada Morero has slammed suggestions that his CEO Clean-Up Campaign and his inner-city turnaround efforts are driven by the upcoming G20 Leaders Summit. This comes as the international gathering is set to get underway at the Nasrec Conference Centre on November 22 and 23, this month.

On Tuesday, the Mayor addressed a media briefing on the CEOs Clean Up Campaign and the work being done by the Bomb Squad to return the city to its former glory ahead of the G20 Summit.

"We also reaffirm that the Joburg Turnaround Plan continues decisively beyond major events like the G20. As outlined in the State of the City Address, the turnaround plan is the backbone of our service delivery renewal and the foundation upon which we are building a stronger, more capable city. The support we are receiving from residents inspires confidence and reminds us that we cannot, and we will not, fail the people of this great city."

Morero's address comes days after the Gauteng provincial government reported vandalism of recently-installed G20 Summit signage near Nasrec on the weekend.

Morero announced CEOs Clean Up campaign which kicks off in the inner city on Wednesday and Thursday, and in Soweto on Friday has enlisted the help of 150 leaders of business, in an effort to clean the city.

Morero added that this is part of a long-term strategy and not only influenced by the upcoming G20 Summit, saying this push for urban renewal goes beyond a standard cleanup as it is a long-term alliance aimed at transforming Joburg's culture towards sustained cleanliness and civic ownership.

"Tomorrow (Wednesday), Johannesburg’s top CEOs will roll up their sleeves and join our teams on the ground to take part in visible clean-up and revitalisation work across priority precincts. Their mission is straightforward: to fix what is broken, clean what is dirty, enforce where there is lawlessness, and restore dignity to our communities.But let me be clear: this is not a three-day campaign. This is not a once-off activation for cameras," he said.

Morero, further emphasised that the Bomb Squad which was unveiled after President Cyril Ramaphosa scolded Moereo over service delivery challenges in the city said this structure operates through an Inside–Outside governance rhythm.

"Let me state clearly: the Bomb Squad has introduced a new culture of urgency and accountability in Johannesburg. It has shown that when we coordinate, when we act together, and when we stay focused on results, progress can be made within hours — not months. We also reaffirm that the Joburg Turnaround Plan continues decisively beyond major events like the G20. As outlined in the State of the City Address, the Turnaround Plan is the backbone of our service delivery renewal and the foundation upon which we are building a stronger, more capable City," he added.

The mayor indicated that the first 100 days of the Bomb Squad has been great success, saying: "In the Bara Precinct and Dobsonville in Region D, the bomb squad has restored parks, pruned overgrown trees, repaired sewers, removed illegal structures, and rehabilitated bridges...In Yeoville and the De Villiers Street corridor in Region F, illegal electricity connections have been dismantled, and a seven-year water blockage was resolved within just 24 hours."